Fantasmic ...without the "Package"?

[2hapykdz]

Headed to WDW in 2 weeks and it's going to be the first time we're hitting Fantasmic without package dinner at Mama's and the guaranteed seat. Not the type to sit 60-90 mins before to get a seat, do ya think it's a worry, considering it's the 3rd week in September...on a Wednesday? I figured with the Star Wars fireworks show, it shouldn't be an issue, but thought I'd ask!

 

[Bete]

Just as long as you are not looking for the best seats in the house you should be okay.

 

[kappyfamily]

I've always gotten to the show about 20 min before the show and have gotten in. But I didn't really care on my seat, just as long as I saw it. I'm thinking you should be fine!

 

[Klayfish]

We've never done the package, so I have no frame of reference to compare it to. But doing it standby, you'll want to get there at least 45 minutes ahead of time if you want a decent seat. Yes, you can sneak in 15 minutes before show time and probably find somewhere to go, we've done it before, but it's not ideal.

 

[CAS239]

You should show up 45-60min before showtime regardless if you do standby, fastpass, or dining. Because as the show gets close there's no guaranteed seating for anyone.

If you don't want to wait long in the arena before the show, then you can get there 15-20 min before the show but won't have the best choice of seats.

 

[mrzrich]

You can try for Fp#4 or #5. I have had great luck snagging late day Fantasmic Fp

 

[Robo]

What a FP+ for F! offers is more CHOICE in seating.



If you DO get a F! FP+, you can choose to sit in either the FP section (virtually the entire left half of the theater) or the Standby section (virtually the entire right half of the theater.)

So, whatever section has the better seating at the time you arrive, you can go there.

Without a FP, you can only choose a seat in the Standby section.



There is a very good chance that you can get a FP+ for F! as a 4th or 5th FP of the day because they issue SO MANY of them (enough to cover nearly the entire left half of the seating.) On many nights, it is possible that you can gat a FP+ for F! as you are walking to the theater.



As to when to arrive at the theater, I'd get to there 45-60 minutes before the show-time.

Even with a FP or Dining Pkg. reservation, don't wait too late.



On busy nights, the CMs can stop holding the reserved sections within 20-30 minutes before show-time, and turn over any available seats to waiting walk-in guests.



There is sometimes a "pre-show" (such as it is) that can help pass the last 30 minutes before show time.

-------------------------------------------------------------------



Map Below-

Arrows indicate the center of the seating.

Shaded areas:

(First or Only F! performance of the evening)

Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating

Red= Dining Package Reserved

Blue= FP+ Reserved

Purple= Can be either FP+ or Dining Plan Reserved, depending on needs.



(Second or Third F! performance of the evening)

Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating

Red, Purple, Blue= FP+ Reserved

(Although much of the outer Blue will likely be used for Standby.)

--------------------------------------

 

[iowacedar]

We've always got the package. Less stress and a guaranteed decent seat.

 

[Robo]

We've always got the package. Less stress and a guaranteed decent seat.

Sorry, but you are not "guaranteed" anything with the dining package.
It's important for guests to know that.

It is still up to the guest to get to the theater early enough to be seated in the reserved section.
If a guest waits too long to arrive on a busy night, that guest may have to find a seat
somewhere else in the theater, or do standing room, or even be disallowed to enter the theater due to over-crowding.

 

[areno79]

What a FP+ for F! offers is more CHOICE in seating.



If you DO get a F! FP+, you can choose to sit in either the FP section (virtually the entire left half of the theater) or the Standby section (virtually the entire right half of the theater.)

So, whatever section has the better seating at the time you arrive, you can go there.

Without a FP, you can only choose a seat in the Standby section.



There is a very good chance that you can get a FP+ for F! as a 4th or 5th FP of the day because they issue SO MANY of them (enough to cover nearly the entire left half of the seating.) On many nights, it is possible that you can gat a FP+ for F! as you are walking to the theater.



As to when to arrive at the theater, I'd get to there 45-60 minutes before the show-time.

Even with a FP or Dining Pkg. reservation, don't wait too late.



On busy nights, the CMs can stop holding the reserved sections within 20-30 minutes before show-time, and turn over any available seats to waiting walk-in guests.



There is sometimes a "pre-show" (such as it is) that can help pass the last 30 minutes before show time.

-------------------------------------------------------------------



Map Below-

Arrows indicate the center of the seating.

Shaded areas:

(First or Only F! performance of the evening)

Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating

Red= Dining Package Reserved

Blue= FP+ Reserved

Purple= Can be either FP+ or Dining Plan Reserved, depending on needs.



(Second or Third F! performance of the evening)

Cyan= Standby (walk-in) seating

Red, Purple, Blue= FP+ Reserved

(Although much of the outer Blue will likely be used for Standby.)

--------------------------------------

That's actually a really helpful map...thanks for sharing!!

Personally we've done both the package (which ended up getting rained out and after 30 mins of sitting in the rain they cancelled), and we've done standby where we grabbed a snack, got there 45 mins before show time and got a decent seat.
If you're going on a night with SW fireworks, logically it would make sense that F! may not be as crowded, but these days it's difficult to try to follow logic at Disney

 

[thelittlemermaid2]

When we want a good seat we usually line up 45 minutes before, but 20 or 30 if we don't mind about the seat as much. See how busy the park is that day and then make your best judgement!

 

[Jfsag123]

We've seen it both with a package and with FP+. Never standby. Last time was this June on a non-Star Wars fireworks night. I booked it as our 5th FP+ at 7:25pm while sitting on the Great Movie Ride (our 4th FP+) waiting for the vehicle to finish loading. We got to the theater about 40 minutes before the show time and got good seats. With dining package we showed up about 30 minutes before show time and got good seats. YMMV.